12 NEWS DEFENDERS: Experts warn digital abuse growing

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

It's new. It's increasing and it can be dangerous.

Experts are warning of a growing form of domestic violence they call "digital abuse". It's when one partner uses technology to control and intimidate their significant other. Mental health professionals say it's such a new problem you could even be in a digitally abusive relationship and not realize it.

"I was always fearful of not answering my phone when he called and not responding to his text messages."

After months of high-tech harassment, brittny says she realized she was a victim of "digital domestic abuse" a new problem Psychiatrist Gail Saltz says is growing.

"Now, sadly people are using digital technology to exert their power, their influence, control 24/7."

Digital abuse is just starting to be recognized by experts and goes beyond constant phone calls and text messages. At the national domestic violence hotline, many callers report their partner's smartphone and social media surveillance is increasing.

"Things that range from constantly checking to what they're posting on social media, asking for passwords, to more extreme cases as where partners create fake identifies on facebook to see if they can get their partner to engage with someone else, and then accusing them of cheating and flirting in appropriately."

The popularity of being constantly connected can make recognizing a problem difficult.

"Isn't this what everybody does? You know, everybody is on social networking, everybody is texting, isn't that just normal behavior?"

The president of the national domestic violence hotline says that normal behavior can turn to obsession. It's important to recognize warning signs.

"Extreme jealousy, monitoring, isolation."

This cyber crime specialist warns digital abusers can escalate their surveillance by using apps which monitor their partner's location through their phone's GPS or installing keylogging software that records what they type on a computer.

"No one needs to be a computer genius to install this software. This software is very, very easy to install."

defenders

Carolyn Turner is living on a tight budget after losing $40,000 in a telemarketing scheme. She says the caller asked, "If I would be interested in investing in a company that would help small businesses."

Carolyn Turner is living on a tight budget after losing $40,000 in a telemarketing scheme. She says the caller asked, "If I would be interested in investing in a company that would help small businesses."

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